Trail of Tears rolls through North Alabama

The motorcycle run started in Bridgeport and made its way to Madison around 9:30 a.m. Thousands of bikers took a break at the Old Time Pottery Barn shopping plaza.

The ride commemorates the journey the Native Americans took on foot during their forced removal to Oklahoma.

Some of the riders were on their first ride while others have been doing it since it started in 1994.

"I ride by myself most of the time, about 30,000 miles a year," said biker James Langley. "This is an opportunity to ride with other people. It's gotten bigger and bigger. [It] used to be only eight or 9,000 people. Now it's 100,000 and it's always a lot of fun."